Lasviden Restaurant
Today was buzzing with energy!
Not only were there grand opening promotions, but several renowned Chosen Heroes had been invited to lend their presence.
Their arrival—heroes who had battled demon clans on the front lines—perfectly framed the restaurant’s “Chosen Hero × Demon Lord” theme.
Watching the endless stream of guests, Old Aidan’s eyes crinkled shut with joy.
He’d initially feared the recent uproar over the demonization experiments might tarnish the launch. But just days ago, the Legion released its first official report. Though suspicion around the Legion hadn’t fully cleared, the statement soothed public anxiety.
—The report showed: across Gedivia region—including city and nearby villages—total missing persons cases numbered under one hundred.
Don’t be fooled by the figure; such numbers fell well within normal range.
After all, aggregated regional data meant hundreds of disappearances yearly were commonplace for small-to-mid areas.
Half those cases had clear resolutions, proven unrelated to the incident.
As for the rest? Not necessarily tied to demonization experiments.
Such experiments required massive human subjects—a single small test needed hundreds. Dozens over months? Barely enough for one trial.
Thus, the Legion proposed a key clue: even if experiments occurred, subjects weren’t sourced from Gedivia. Residents here were safe—at least for now.
This gave the Legion confidence to assert the delayed exposure wasn’t mismanagement, but the culprit’s cunning—using Gedivia as a base while sourcing subjects elsewhere, leaving minimal traces.
They further claimed: precisely *because* residents were safe, they could patiently play the long game.
Followed by waves of standard reassurances.
Gradually, public panic settled. Pressure remained for swift resolution, but daily life resumed rhythm. Power struggles among elites? Never touched ordinary lives.
Amid the chaos, Old Aidan seized opportunity.
In uncertain times, people craved Chosen Hero reassurance—so he crafted the theme and promotion strategy around them.
Today’s roaring success proved his wisdom. Worth every gold spent.
Yet what thrilled him most wasn’t the packed main hall.
Only a full high-end section meant true stability.
And he’d achieved it.
Nobles and wealthy merchants filled the VIP area—all drawn by his star performers: famed Gedivia Chosen Heroes, even the legendary group—Dawn!
True, this Dawn held no original members. But the name still carried weight, didn’t it?
Pity the true legend, Li Wei, wasn’t among them.
Old Aidan knew better: had Li Wei been available, securing him would’ve been far harder.
Even for Dawn’s current duo, he’d paid dearly.
Without that sudden investment—and its strict condition that Dawn *must* appear—he might never have dared invite them.
At first invitation, the rookie female sword saint wore an expression of profound insult, declaring this a betrayal of her Chosen Hero ideals.
But decades in business sharpened Old Aidan’s instincts. He saw her resistance—and the solution—instantly:
—More gold.
Two hundred thousand coins. Finally, she agreed.
Backstage at Lasviden.
Vivian wore a modest evening gown, light makeup accentuating her proud, lovely face—now set in stern lines, as if someone owed her a fortune.
Clutching her violin, she stared at her reflection, lip caught between teeth, heart heavy with reluctance.
—So you’ve fallen, Vivian.
The Chosen Hero title. The Dawn legacy. Meant to be reborn in your hands. Yet before bringing it glory, must you lean on its faded fame?
Grief and defiance coiled deep within.
The whip of idealism clashing with reality lashed her tender, unready heart again and again.
Was bearing reality’s weight always this heavy? This painful?
Fingers tightened on the bow. She drew a slow breath. *Just this one performance.* Enough gold to clear the Legion debt—maybe even spare coins to restart…
It’ll be okay.
It’s just one show. Everyone grows through moments like this. Even Li Wei had awkward chapters, right? Wait—why him *again*?
She’d vowed to erase his imprint. Yet the harder she tried, the more his name surfaced.
Afraid he’d look down on her?
Afraid he’d see her like this—while he lived so happily?
Her gaze flickered, hollow. At least *he* wouldn’t see her like this.
He never liked crowded restaurants anyway.
She’d invited him out countless times. He’d always been buried in duties. That one time he agreed? So perfunctory. Did he even care?
She hated how well she knew him.
He never truly knew *her*. Never knew what she wanted.
Then again—he had a wife. A daughter. His care was likely just duty. A promise kept.
“Miss Vivian, warm-up performances have begun. Would you like to watch?”
“I know.”
She replied flatly, not refusing.
She needed distraction.
Alone with thoughts, calm became chaos.
A lonely pang struck—no one to talk to.
That foolish elf *was* infuriating… but after arguing with her, Vivian forgot her nerves.
That idiot Tiffany—promised to perform together. Where’d she vanish?
Bulaiden Square surged with life.
Faces glowed with warm contentment; eyes sparkled with hope.
Li Wei, daughter on his back, felt a strange lightness—like stepping from another world.
Too long in Chosen Hero circles. Rarely wandered ordinary streets like this.
All past sacrifices forged *this* peace. Didn’t they?
He’d never enjoyed it himself—but he’d given humanity this future.
Hard to recall the last time he walked the city without weight on his shoulders.
Vivian had invited him before. But even away from the core, Dawn days pressed hard: Holy City intrigues, tailored training plans, Demon King Citadel research, sustaining the team…
To honor her invitation, he’d compressed rest into fragments, carved time from exhaustion.
That day, fatigue and emergencies left him distant.
Vivian hadn’t enjoyed it.
He later spent days soothing her with gifts.
Now he reflected: back then, he blamed only himself. Maybe he should’ve looked outward.
But those worries were gone now.
He felt the soft weight on his back.
Yue Lin rode securely, eyes bright, gazing down at the bustling crowd in a pose she’d long dreamed of. Surrounded by strangers, she felt not a trace of fear.
Peace washed over Li Wei too—but worry lingered: *When will she run to me and say “Dad”?*
“What your daughter can’t do… I can.”
A whisper brushed his ear.
The Demon Lord—no mind-reading gift, yet always *knew*. Launching sudden, disarming strikes.
Li Wei stayed calm. “She can’t do many things. Which one do you mean?”
“The one in your heart.”
“Studying? Learning letters?”
Tsukika: “?”
“Math problems to sharpen her mind?” Li Wei glanced at Tsukika. This world knew mathematics too.
Tsukika: “??”
“Hehe. High expectations, Chosen Hero.”
“Not that high. I don’t expect her to defeat the Demon Lord.”
“*Defeat*—not destroy? Implying something?”
“But if merely *defeat*… when did you grow so kind?”
Their banter flowed—lively, unlike nighttime sparring.
Yue Lin, ahoge twitching, tilted her head. Watching them nearly pressed together, she pondered deeply.
*These two really don’t need to hold hands…*
Only at Lasviden’s entrance did they quiet.
“Apologies, guests—we’re fully booked,” the host said with a regretful bow.
“You may reserve for upcoming days. The event continues.”
Li Wei paused, silent. Simply produced a special crystal card.
He’d long tired of the routine: unrecognized, underestimated, then dramatic vindication.
The host’s eyes widened. “My deepest apologies, Your Excellency! I didn’t recognize you…”
“A reserved seat awaits in the core section. Please follow me.”
He stepped aside, ushering them in.
Li Wei wasn’t the least bit surprised by the outcome. His crystal card was the Dori Trading House’s highest-tier access card. Given the House’s widespread partnerships, merely presenting it usually earned him courtesies across most commercial districts.
More importantly, the card revealed nothing of his identity—no risk of being recognized as Li Wei.
As he followed the waiter forward, Li Wei casually glanced at Tsukika.
Earlier, when they’d been stopped, he’d noticed the Demon Lord also reach for something—but the moment she saw him produce the crystal card, she smoothly tucked it away.
“You’ve got quite a few connections in the human world?” Li Wei mused.
“Perhaps,” Tsukika replied with a playful smile, tapping her cheek. “Naturally, maintaining this identity requires some preparation.”
To be honest, Li Wei still had no clue what role Tsukika played in the human realm.
“But that’s a secret belonging solely to me.”
“Lord Chosen Hero, if you truly wish to know—what price are you willing to pay? Or skip asking me altogether… try digging it up yourself.”
Tsukika added with a mischievous grin.
Li Wei’s lips twitched slightly as he caught the faint blush dusting the Demon Lord’s cheeks—a hint of anticipation. *You’d better really mean “digging up secrets,”* he silently muttered.
